Campgrounds in Oregon

Oregon was once considered the Wild West - and the vast majority of the state is still pretty wild. Perhaps the best part about camping Oregon is the variety of its geography - there's something for everyone. There are mountains, rivers, deserts, lakes and a long stretch of rugged coastline. Even its largest cities are not too large to be bothersome, and some of them are downright pleasant for a diversion if you need a break from all that nature.

The metropolitan area around the state's largest city, Portland, might not be the first place you'd look for a great campground. But because of Portland's urban growth boundary, it's possible to get into the wilderness much faster than it is in cities that sprawl in all directions. Within an hour's drive of Portland it's possible to find some excellent camping spots, and then you can take advantage of all that Portland has to offer, too. The important thing to remember about the Portland area, along with the entire valley of the Willamette River, is that it rains there - and it rains a lot. Come prepared or you'll leave unhappy.

If you're not in the mood to deal with rain, then try Central Oregon around the city of Bend. The resort town of Sunriver is certainly popular, but it's also quite posh. The good news is that you don't have to go too much further to find something a bit more rustic. And the city of Bend is one of Oregon's up-and-coming places, so you could do worse than spend a day there, too.

Along the Oregon coast there are plenty of great campgrounds which usually have lots of space - until it's a holiday weekend, when everyone in Oregon decides to head for the ocean with a tent. If you don't mind crowds, that's fine, just book early to make sure you're not left without a campsite. Along the border with Washington lies the mighty Columbia River, and the Columbia Gorge is also a great place to consider camping. If you're really looking to get away from everyone else, though, your best bet is to head into Eastern Oregon. It's got the lowest population concentration in the state, and you'll find the fewest tourists and campers, too.

Oregon has only one National Park, but it's a good one - Crater Lake in Southern Oregon is a sight to see, whether or not you're actually camping there. Along with Crater Lake, there are a few National Monuments in Oregon, too. Here are a few of them: